AMID calls to postpone the first regular parliamentary polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is all set to kick off the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs), list of nominees, and certificates of acceptance of nomination (CANs) for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections which will run from November 4 to 9.
In a recent interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said everything is ready for the filing of COCs for district representatives and CANs and list of nominees for regional parliamentary political parties (RPPP).
Aside from the of filing COCs, list of nominees, and CANs, Garcia appealed to BARMM candidates and regional parliamentary political parties to help ensure that the week-long filing period will be peaceful and orderly.
“We appeal to the candidates for them to police their respective supporters and maintain a COC filing that is orderly, clean, and peaceful,” said Garcia.
Eligible to file their COCs for district representatives from the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi are Filipino citizens who are at least 25 years old on Election Day, a registered voter in the Bangsamoro, can read and write, and is a resident and registered voter in the district he/she seeks to represent for at least one year before Election Day.
Aside from COCs, the aspirants for district representatives are also set to file their certificate of nomination and acceptance if they are candidates of political parties or coalitions.
Aspirants for district representatives may file their COCs with the Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO), through the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (OPES).
On the other hand, RPPPs are required to file their CANs and list of nominees and Manifestation of Intent to Participate in the Parliamentary Elections (MIP-PE).
Their nominees, meanwhile, must be Filipino citizens, at least 25 years old on Election Day, a registered voter in the Bangsamoro, can read and write, and is a bona fide member of the sectors (women, youth, settler communities, traditional leaders, and ulama), and is a member of an RPPP or sectoral organization registered with the Comelec.
RPPPs may file their CANs and list of nominees with the BEO, through the Bangsamoro Registration and Accreditation Committee (BRAC).
A total of 73 BARMM parliamentary seats will be up for grabs in the first ever BARMM parliamentary elections on May 12, 2025.
The filing period comes despite the approval by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) of Resolution No. 641, which seeks to postpone the parliamentary polls to 2028.
The BTA resolution also asked the Senate and the House of Representatives to extend further the BARMM transition period from 2025 to 2028.
The extension will purportedly allow all BARMM stakeholders to adequately prepare for a smooth democratic transition, promote wider participation of political parties, and enhance voter understanding of the new electoral process.
Meanwhile, Communications Cesar Chavez yesterday said President Marcos Jr. met last October 24 with BARMM officials to strengthen the collaboration between the national and regional government, especially in promoting peace and prosperity in the region.
Chavez said the President “dropped by” during the meeting between Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo and the BARMM governors.
“A wide range of issues, centering on peace and prosperity in the region, were discussed during the meeting. It was a productive and frank exchange of ideas on how to move forward the government’s development agenda for the Bangsamoro people given the recent Supreme Court decision excluding the province of Sulu from the territorial jurisdiction BARMM,” the PCO said in a statement.
It added that Palace and BARMM officials have been regularly meeting “pursuant to (the President’s) vow to directly and regularly consult local leaders regardless of political affiliation”
The PCO made the statement in reaction to reports that the President met with BARMM officials to preserve political stability in the region amid growing tension triggered by the upcoming May 2025 elections.
The meeting was supposedly held at the Aguado Residence in Manila and was attended by governors Hajiman Hataman of Basilan, Yshmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi, Mamintal Adiong of Lanao del Sur, Abdulraof Macacua of Maguindanao del Norte, Office of Marawi Rehabilitation Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and Mindanao Development Authority head Leo Magno.
Also reported to be present during the meeting were Partido Federal ng Pilipinas head and Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo and gubernatorial candidates Datu Tucao Mastura of Maguindanao del Norte and Datu Ali Midtimbang of Maguindanao del Sur. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
